Q Did a trial take place under Italian law, in the absence of those three named individuals?

Q Were they convicted?

A They were.

Q And were — and were heavy prison sentences imposed?

A They were.

Q I think, in particular, Khreesat was sentenced to 18 years in prison?

A He was, sir.

Transcript of the Lockerbie Trial at Camp Zeist

Today (Nov. 10 1988) , Dr Christian Rinne, the investigating judge at the Federal High Court in Karlsruhe considered the case against Marwan Khreesat.

Under German law, the federal prosecutor acting for the BKA had applied for a new arrest warrant against him. Amazingly, and against all evidence, his request was overruled.

The extraordinary judgment reads as follows.

“The accused is certainly suspect of the alleged charge. But the strong suspicion of crime necessary is however lacking. It is not possible to prove at present a connection between the residence at Sanweg 28 in Frankfurt, in which weapons of warfare and explosives have been secured, and the accused. No weapons or similar were found in the residence at Isarstrasse 16 inNeuss, where he did stay. It has not been possible to discover a target or location for a crime of explosion. Also the involvement of the accused as regard the purpose of his stay in the Federal Republic, the nature of his relationship with other accused parties and his ignorance of the preparations for the crime are not to be so clearly refuted that a strong suspicion of a crime can be confirmed.”

Not only was the judgment remarkably ridiculous, but how could have German law authority released a man who was the object of an international arrest warrant for a grave crime?

Bush Names Baker as Secretary of State

President-elect Bush today named James A. Baker 3d to be his Secretary of State. Baker will play a pre-eminent role in the Bush Administration.

according to President-elect Bush, the speedy designation of his campaign chairman and former Treasury Secretary was intended ”to get the whole process of the transition between Administrations off on the right foot.”

So far, Bush has provided no details as to which issues he will focus on initially. Nevertheless, he made it clear that he would ”press to bring democracy to Nicaragua.” With an old friend like Bush, dictator and drug dealer Noriega needs no enemies…

At his trial in the United States, former CIA Don Winters described Noriega as a reliable partner of the Agency, a loyal ally in the war against communism in Central America, and a necessary partner of the foreign policy of the United States. Winters also testified that Noriega was on the payroll of the US government.

Arafat Submits US Visa Request

Yasir Arafat, the chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization, formally asked the United States for a visa today so he can address the General Assembly, a United Nations spokesman announced.

A major American Jewish leadership coalition immediately declared its opposition to the visit, saying the United Nations should not invite Mr. Arafat to address the assembly because he heads a ”gang that has been officially identified by the Government of the United States as a terrorist organization.”